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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23505070">clear the air</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/anon_drabble/pseuds/anon_drabble'>anon_drabble</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mystic Messenger (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Another Story (Mystic Messenger), F/M, Ghosts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:41:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,761</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23505070</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/anon_drabble/pseuds/anon_drabble</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>i was sick and up all night and so this was born. this focuses largely on the friendship and perhaps things unspoken between v and jumin during another story. but with a different ending than another story. this is angst but i argue it has a somewhat happy ending even if i'm not tagging it that way, lol..</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Han Jumin &amp; V | Kim Jihyun, V | Kim Jihyun/Main Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>clear the air</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jumin sat in his office, working later than usual. Late nights were something of a regularity for him but he did wish to get home soon to see his Elizabeth the Third. Life hadn’t been kind to Jumin lately and he constantly felt the stress engulfing him. Work took his mind off it but it hardly helped him to heal. Though he had told her to go home, Jaehee was still there as well, supporting him as she always did. When he heard her buzz his office, he assumed she would be leaving finally for the night. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mr. Han? I know it’s late but there’s a guest here for you.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jumin’s eyebrows creased. He prayed it wasn’t his father but that was the only one who might be there that late. “Who would be here this late?” he asked himself. Pressing the button to respond to Jaehee, he said, “I see. Can you ask them if they can return tomorrow during the day?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a pause. "Sir? It's V here to see you." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jumin's eyes narrowed. "Assistant Kang, now is not--" he began but she interrupted him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I believe it's an emergency, sir. He'll be there shortly." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No sooner had Jaehee finished her statement, the door to Jumin's office swung open. V stood there, looking lost and confused. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jumin. I think… I think I need your help." He closed the door behind him. Jumin's face remained neutral as it always did. V met Jumin's eyes. Jumin felt as though he couldn't look away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What seems to be the difficulty?" Jumin asked. His mouth felt dry, his throat hoarse. Perhaps Jumin was more tired than he thought. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't find MC. I don't remember what happened. We had seen Rika one last time and I think MC ran. But I tripped and I must have blacked out. I couldn't find any traces of Rika or MC so I came here. Please, Jumin. We have to find her. I never told MC how I felt…" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jumin's hand went to his sleeve, adjusting the wrist of his suit jacket. "How was that?" he asked quietly. He suspected V's affections. But for the man who insisted on hiding everything from his oldest friend, Jumin wanted to hear the words directly from V. Even if Jumin already knew the truth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>V looked at Jumin, understanding. He knew Jumin, after all. "I love her," V said, though he felt no weight lifted from him. He wouldn't, not until he found MC again. "MC helped me see past Rika. She gave me clarity again. I believe I was meant to have met her at this time. Which is why I must find her again." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jumin gave a single nod of his head. "I thank you for being honest with me, again. I want you to never feel as though you must hide anything from me. I believe I know where we might find MC."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Have you been in contact with her? Is she okay?" V asked hurriedly as Jumin led them both out of the office. Jaehee was still there but she said nothing and merely watched the two men walk out. "What about Rika?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Rika was caught," Jumin said simply. "Luciel was able to give us the location. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>V sighed in relief. "I'm sorry you had to clean up my mess. But thank you, Jumin. You've always trusted me, even when I gave you every reason not to." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes." It was an acknowledgement more than anything. Jumin did agree that V gave him reasons not to trust him but their friendship meant more to Jumin than that. He wouldn't give it away easily.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Driver Kim had the car ready to go, as he always did. Jumin gave the directions to where he knew MC was. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you remember, V?" Jumin asked as the car was put in motion. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>V thought for a moment. "It was night, we were in the woods. I went to speak with Rika. I hadn't known MC had followed me." V hesitated. He seemed far away as he relived that night. Jumin, too, thought back. He remembered the call from Luciel, though he hadn't heard the full story. Only V, MC, and Rika knew what had happened that night. And Rika and MC certainly weren't talking. "I spoke to Rika. I wanted to explain myself. I felt I had to. Because she had suffered because of me. Or maybe we suffered because of each other. I think it was selfish of me. I wanted the closure with Rika so I could turn more to MC. Rika hated when I called our love obsession but that's what it was. I remember…" V seemed to concentrate, like he'd reached the cloudy parts of his memory. "Rika saw MC first. She said… Something.I don't remember. MC tried to tell me to come back to the cabin." V was troubled, like he didn't want to remember. Jumin, too, felt his chest grow tighter with every word. He hadn't known this part of the night, after all. He only knew what Luciel had found. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The car turned down a dark street. The streetlights faded and only the headlights lit the road for Driver Kim. V still struggled, lost in the labyrinth of his mind. He hadn't noticed where they were, though he had been there before. Jumin wondered just how little V truly remembered, as he had clearly forgotten or blocked much of the night from his mind. Jumin didn't particularly enjoy coming, either, though he had been many times. And had come more often as of late, thanks to V. Jumin thought of MC and wondered how she would react in this situation. She had touched V deep down inside as few had done. She had a lasting impression on everyone in the RFA. Of course V wouldn't have been able to find her but perhaps she would have been of more help than Jumin. Jumin had every resource at his disposal and if V only needed a friend, Jumin could do that. But he struggled with emotions and V currently had high emotions, which brought Jumin's shortcomings in that department into alarming clarity. The car slowed and stopped and Jumin exited. V still wrestled with his memory, muttering quietly to himself. Jumin had never known V to mutter but V couldn't seem to get his words out. Jumin led the way down a dark path. He knew the route. Knew the precise number of steps. All too well. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, V broke the silence. "Rika had a knife," he began softly. "I wanted to protect MC. I told her to run. Rika grew angry at that. She moved but she missed. I pushed MC away, ahead of me. She ran." Jumin came to a stop as V spoke. He kept his head down. Placed his hands on the cool stone that he knew was in front of him. "We ran from Rika," V said. But he finally looked up. "Where are we, Jumin?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jumin felt as though he couldn't speak. He didn't want to hear this. "What happened next, Jihyun?" He'd spoken his friend's name so many times. Why did it suddenly hurt him to do so? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I tripped," V said. "I fell. I think I blacked out." That was what V had said before. "But no...I remember…. MC heard me. She came back…" V's face contorted as his memories finally returned. "Rika stood over me. She stabbed me. MC tried to fight her off. She… Rika stabbed MC." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jumin hung his head. The rest he knew. Luciel found them but it was too late. MC and V were dead in the forest. Rika crying over their corpses. Lucial had called Jumin and arrangements were made. The funeral for MC and V had been held last week. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jumin…" V whispered. "Why? How? I…' </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't have those answers, my friend. But I have brought you to MC. We buried her next to you." Jumin ached inside. How could this be possible? How could he be explaining to his dead friend where he was buried? "Tell her how you feel. I expect she knew. But tell her." Unfinished business. Wasn't that the term the books used to explain why a dead person's spirit might linger and make itself known to the living? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"MC…" V fell to his knees. He cried freely. Jumin envied him that. "I love you, MC. I'm so sorry. I love you…" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everything fell silent around them. Not even wind rustled leaves in the trees. No light, no sound. Just Jumin and V, trying to come to terms with the night. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jihyun?" They both heard the voice, and both looked toward the sound. MC stood there, seeming as real as V but Jumin knew all too well he was actually alone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"MC? How? You're…." V tried to speak. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We both are, Jihyun. It's okay. I've been waiting for you. I was hoping you'd come." She smiled but she didn't look sad at all. "I'm glad you told me. I love you, too." She looked to Jumin and finally acknowledged the pain he felt. "Jumin. You're the best friend Jihyun has ever known. I know why he came back to you first." Jumin felt as though he couldn't breathe, the pain within him building to immeasurable amounts. "I'm glad he spoke to you. Jumin, you've always been the kindest one in the RFA. I'm so glad Jihyun had a friend like you. If it's okay with you, I'll take care of Jihyun now." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, Jumin took in a deep breath. He nodded, but didn't speak. He didn't trust his voice. He looked to V. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>V glanced between MC and Jumin. There was no discussion to be had. He belonged with MC now. Finally. For good. "Thank you for bringing me here, Jumin," V said. "I never wanted to keep anything from you. Now you know all my secrets. I'm sorry for everything, Jumin. But thank you. You've always been there for me. Even now. I'm glad our friendship lasts longer than life. I'll be okay now." He walked over to MC, taking her hand. He smiled at Jumin. "And Jumin? I'll see you again." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jumin nodded. He knew he'd be seeing V again, someday. The two faded from view, and within a blink's time, they were gone. Never having been there to begin with. But strangely enough, Jumin felt a little satisfied. He mourned, of course, but anything lingering had been resolved. It was time to move on. And now, Jumin could. </span>
</p>
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